FutureLearn

Introduction to GDPR: General Data Protection Regulation (FutureLearn)

Offered by University College London, UCL Consultants, PA Consulting,

Learn how to handle data in the digital economy safely, securely and respectfully. Learn how to handle data responsibly. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is designed to balance the need for businesses’ and customers’ data information to flow freely, and the need to protect the rights of the individual.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see FutureLearn's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

As a professional you need to be aware of the legal requirements of the GDPR so you can ensure your organisation is compliant.
On this course you will get a thorough introduction to GDPR so you can grow your understanding of protecting personal data and be able to handle data in the digital economy appropriately.

What topics will you cover?

Week 1 - Law and history
The purpose and history of data regulation in relation to the new legislation
The principles of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Key concepts, including (but not limited to) the natural person, personal data, controllers and processors, and legitimate interests

Week 2 - The Natural Person
Legal bases for processing, including consent, legitimate interests and contracts
The rights of the individual, including (but not limited to) erasure, access and automated decision-making
Identifying how the implementation of GDPR could help to prevent particular breaches of data

Week 3 - The organisation and the data lifecycle
Implications of GDPR for workers, their places of work and their customers
Mitigating risks associated with the handling and processing of data
Third party contracts and transfers
Roles and responsibilities regarding Data Protection in the workplace

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

Explain the history and principles of data regulation which resulted in the GDPR
Identify the key concepts and purpose of the GDPR
Explain legal bases for processing personal data, including performance of contracts and how consent is obtained
Describe the rights of the individual under the regulations
Identify the ways in which the GDPR can help to avoid confidentiality breaches
Identify the implications of GDPR for you and your workplace
Explain actions you and your workplace can take to mitigate risks
Describe the role and responsibilities of Data Protection Officers

Go to Class

MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Coursera

Lund University

European Business Law: Understanding the Fundamentals (Coursera)

Law Social Sciences

The European Union is one of the world’s largest and most important economies. This five week course is the first in a series of three that will provide students with an insight into European Business Law. The series ranges from considering the basic structures and principles of the European Union to focusing on various specialized areas of law. Each course will give the students an understanding of the laws and policies that regulate the internal market of European Union, as well as relevant case law and useful inputs from leading practitioners in the field.

Aug 10th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Law European Union Foreign Policy

FutureLearn

University of Groningen

Understanding the General Data Protection Regulation (FutureLearn)

Law Business

Get to grips with the General Data Protection Regulation and take the first steps to ensuring that your organisation is compliant. Understand what the GDPR means for you as data subject, controller or processor. On 25 May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), aiming to improve data protection for individuals across the EU, became directly applicable. Now, organisations need to be compliant with the new rules and should act immediately.

Oct 18th 2021

4 Weeks

Data Protection GDPR General Data Protection Regulation

Coursera

University of California, Irvine

Chemerinsky on Constitutional Law - The Structure of Government (Coursera)

Law Social Sciences

This course will highlight the construction and interpretation of the U.S. Constitution through the centuries. You'll learn the history behind the Constitution, cases that formed important precedent, and how changes in interpretation have been dependent on shifts in cultural and political climate as well as the composition of the Supreme Court.

Aug 17th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Law Government Federalism

FutureLearn

University of Leeds

Incarceration: Are prisons a suitable punishment? (FutureLearn)

Law

Explore life inside UK prisons. Learn whether this type of punishment reduces crime and if rehabilitation can prevent reoffending. Explore the ethics of imprisonment and identify prison alternatives. England and Wales have the highest incarceration rate in Western Europe. Almost a quarter of these prisoners are held in overcrowded prisons. On this course, you will take a look inside the prisons of England and Wales.

Self Paced

2 Weeks

Ethics Law Criminal Justice

FutureLearn

University of Manchester

Power, Politics, and Influence at Work (FutureLearn)

Social Sciences Business

Discover the causes of global employment inequalities, how workers gain a voice through unions, and the future of work itself. Help build workers’ rights and a better future for employment and society. With the world of work in unprecedented flux, the role of workers’ rights has never been more pressing, as society grapples with issues such as how to ensure better employment equity and safety.

Self Paced

5-12 Weeks

Law Politics Power

Coursera

University of California, Irvine

Chemerinsky on Constitutional Law - Individual Rights and Liberties (Coursera)

Law Social Sciences

Chemerinsky on Constitutional Law: Individual Rights and Liberties will highlight the construction and interpretation of the U.S. Constitution through the centuries with an emphasis on protections of individual liberties and the evolution of equal protection. You'll learn the history behind the Constitution, cases that formed important precedent, and how changes in interpretation have been dependent on shifts in cultural and political climate as well as the composition of the Supreme Court.

Aug 10th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Law Constitutional Law Constitution

FutureLearn

The Open University,Università per Stranieri di Siena - UniStraSi,NUI Galway

Studying in Italian - Law and Economics: a MOVE-ME Project Course (FutureLearn)

Law Languages & Literature

Study Law and Economics in Italian and develop the skills you need when you take part in a European student mobility programme. Each year thousands of students travel across Europe to study in a foreign language like Italian. This can be daunting, even for those who are fluent. This online course from UniStraSi will help, guiding you through the peculiarities of academic discourse in Italian, and enabling you to understand and produce written and aural academic texts.

No sessions available

5-12 Weeks

Law Italy Italian

Coursera

University of Geneva

Children's Human Rights - An Interdisciplinary Introduction (Coursera)

Law Social Sciences

Drawing on the contributions of several academic disciplines including law, psychology, sociology, history, educational and health sciences, economy and anthropology, an interdisciplinary approach guides the student into a selection of critical issues concerning children’s rights. Participants will gain insight relative to the development of this specific human rights category, as well as to the evolution of the challenges faced by children over time and society’s efforts to respond.

Aug 10th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Psychology Law Justice

FutureLearn

The University of Law,Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Introduction to the Rule of Law (FutureLearn)

Law

Investigate the Judiciary system and the Rule of Law, and discover how it affects us in the UK. What is the Rule of Law? The Rule of Law is integral to upholding our fundamental rights and freedoms in the UK. On this three-week course from the University of Law, you’ll consider what is meant by the Rule of Law, focussing on the role of the Judiciary and the interconnection between the Rule of Law and our human rights.

Self Paced

3 Weeks

Law Human Rights Rule of Law

Coursera

University of London

Citizenship and the Rule of Law (Coursera)

Law Social Sciences

"Be you so high, the law is above you." This principle, part of the Rule of Law, has come to represent the powerful idea that even politicians and monarchs are bound by the law. However in an age of powerful corporations, international cyber-crime and popular support for authoritarian leaders, the Rule of Law is under threat worldwide.

Aug 10th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Law Justice Citizenship

FutureLearn

Coventry University,City of London Police

Fraud Investigation: Making a Difference (FutureLearn)

Law Social Sciences

Explore the UK’s most common types of fraud and examine fraud factors and theories to better protect yourself and others. Explore the skills required to make a difference and prevent fraud. Fraud is a great challenge facing communities today. The methods used by criminals to steal from individuals and organisations are constantly evolving and becoming more sophisticated. This makes it even harder for fraud to be prevented. On this course, you will study with the City of London Police the skills needed to conduct an effective and proactive fraud investigation.

Self Paced

2 Weeks

Law Prevention Fraud

FutureLearn

University of Cambridge

Exploring Law: Studying Law at University (FutureLearn)

Law

Is law right for you? Learn the basics, explore key questions in depth, and hear from students and inspirational legal figures. Learn the fundamentals of law and whether studying law is right for you If you’re aged 16 to 18 and are considering studying law at a UK university, this six-week University of Cambridge course is for you.

Self Paced

5-12 Weeks

Law Criminal Law Private Law